


Such a wreck, but ain't love wreck-less

by Kroolea



Series: Modern Cobb Vanth/Din Djarin AU [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bisexual Din Djarin, Domestic, Fluff, Gay Cobb Vanth, Gay Pride, Good Parent Din Djarin, Happy Ending, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28103523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroolea/pseuds/Kroolea
Summary: Din Djarin is a single dad moving to Albany after deciding NYC isn't a good place to raise his son.Cobb Vanth just wants to escape the homophobic south and where better to do that than New York?In some twist of fate (and tweaking from Cara) their paths cross.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Series: Modern Cobb Vanth/Din Djarin AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059278
Comments: 10
Kudos: 218





	Such a wreck, but ain't love wreck-less

**Author's Note:**

> I am back with another installment to this universe.
> 
> I decided to make this into one long chapter instead of writing a bunch of shortchapters because I am lazy.
> 
> POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS!  
> Please don't read if any of these things trigger you, stay safe, lovelies.  
> \- mention of gun violence  
> \- religious justification for homophobia  
> \- homophobia (there isn't an awful lot but it's there)  
> \- the f slur (it is used once by a non-lgbt character)  
> \- panic attacks

Din jolts out of bed as he hears a shot from outside the house. His ears ring as he tentatively grabs a bat from by his nightstand and heads to the front door. His neighbor is already outside, her expression stormy.

"Gnarly stuff." She mumbles, looking at the body outside her door. Din feels a frown crossing his face, the dead person is young, maybe twenty.

The bullet holes in their chest and throat scream gang shit. It's too particular to be accidental.

"What happened?"

She sighs. "Dunno. I think they got the wrong guy though. They were cursing up a storm."

Din leans against the wall shakily and waits with her for the cops to come.

Sometime in their investigation Din realizes his kid is inside his house with no supervision. He explains such to the police and hides in his house.

The toddler is awake and sobbing in his crib. Din frowns and scoops up the boy. "Shhhh. It's okay, Grogu. I'm here. Shhh, estoy aquí."

The two-year-old's name isn't actually Grogu. Din named him Gregorio after his grandfather, but whenever his friend's daughter, Winta, had met Gregorio as a baby, she had taken to calling him Grogu. The nickname stuck and since that day, the baby had been known as Grogu.

Grogu falls asleep against Din's chest as Din sits on his couch.

Din doesn't sleep. He can't, not with a body outside his door and cops swarming the area looking for a killer. 

He pulls out his laptop, carefully, Grogu is still asleep and googles apartments to rent outside of New York City.

He hates to leave NYC. He grew up here, but he can't let Grogu grow up here. Not anymore. Little boys need places to run around and to play.

The apartment he schedules to visit the next day is right outside Albany. It's close enough that he's still close to his work and friends but far enough away that they're out of the city.

The next morning he tells Cara about the shooting and how he plans to leave. Obviously, he's shaken up about it because she doesn't even joke about him leaving her.

"I can probably get you a transfer to Albany, if you'd like." She admits. He gives her a grateful smile. Finding a new job wouldn't be incredibly difficult, construction is a fairly easy job to get, especially with his resume, but it would be nice to have a job already set up.

"Could you try? That would mean a lot."

After she makes a few calls he has a job and an apartment. He moves cities in two weeks, not able to stand raising Grogu in the busy city.

\-----

Jacobb Vanth, or Cobb as most people know him, isn't one to complain. His father js a strict man with stricter rules. Cobb knows how to do just about anything and who to call when he doesn't. He's been working on his dad's farm since the day he could walk. Of course, now he got paid for it.

His dad could be a bit of an asshole but Cobb likes working with the animals and crops. It's soothing, being away from people for a while.

Cobb doesn't knock as he steps into his dad's house that day. He has been working since dawn and it was nearly noon in Gruene, Texas. His dad is in his office, complaining loudly as he always did.

"It ain't natural. Those queers are sinning against god and you know what, the government is doing nothing to stop it." Cobb stops in his tracks and strained his ears as he poured himself a glass of water.

His dad doesn't know that Cobb is gay, no one does.

"They're going to hell! Breaking God's word like that should be punishable by death."

Cobb feels like he has been slapped. He stares at the closed door in horror. A part of him wanted to tell his dad he was wrong, that nothing was wrong with him.

Another part in him sank. His dad would never change his mind, not even Cobb could convince him.

It wasn't the first time he's heard homophobic things, he lives in Texas. He hears homophobic slurs and sees the church signs almost every day.

But hearing them come out of his father, who was loved by everyone in town, the words burn. Cobb has to blink tears out of his eyes.

Cobb makes his decision that evening. He has a cousin in Albany, New York that would probably love to take him in. After a short phone call, he has a place to stay once he arrives. He packs his car that night, he doesn't have that many items he needs, and the next morning he arrives at his dad's farm.

"I'm quitting." He says after a moment of hesitation. "I'm going to New York."

"Ya can't just quit, Cobb. You don't have any skills or-"

Cobb takes a deep breath, almost convinced. "I'm sorry."

He pretended the way his father slammed the door didn't hurt.

He has money saved up to pay for gas and food on the way to New York, he even has enough to stay on his feet until his first paycheck.

As he drives away from that small town he has never felt more free.

\-----

The apartment Din finds is nice. They have a balcony and there is a large yard in the front of the complex that will be great when Grogu is a little older.

The problem, as it usually is, is money. These apartments are $400 more than Din's previous residence and while he has enough saved to pay the extra bit once or twice, he won't be able to afford it in the long run. There's an extra room he was planning to use as an office but could sacrifice as a bedroom for a roommate. So he asks Cara to look around for a roommate. She's usually a good judge of character and knows a hell of a lot more people than Din.

For now, he unpacks and moves Grogu and himself into their new lives. He doesn't have many personal belongings that aren't necessities, pictures, a couple various items, and Grogu's baby blanket that was once his are some of the only things he values.

He staples Grogu's blanket above the boy's crib. It adds some color to the boy's bland walls. Din wonders if he could paint the walls if he paid a little extra.

He'll ask tomorrow. For now, he's exhausted and Grogu is getting cranky from lack of sleep. It's been a busy day for both of them and tomorrow won't be much better.

Din doesn't sleep super well, it's a new room and the lack of traffic outside the window is a little disconcerning. He reminds himself that this is for Grogu and that he'll get used to it soon enough.

He falls into a restless sleep.

\-----

Cobb's cousin helps him find a job moving boxes for a factory. He likes the people there and his boss seems to like him.

It's a lot different in New York than it was in Texas. People look at him funny when he speaks, people ask where he's from.

He likes New York, despite feeling a little like an outsider. And no matter where you are, alcohol is alcohol. He doesn't like getting drunk but sometimes it's nice to feel tipsy. There's a bar two blocks down from his cousin's apartment that he overheard from a co-worker was good.

He's halfway through his second bottle of beer when he overhears a woman beside him talking about her friend that needs a roommate.

"I can be his roommate." Cobb blurts before he can stop himself. The woman looks over at him, a scowl on her face.

"Do you make a habit of eavesdropping on people?" She says sarcastically. Cobb gives her a crooked grin.

"No. I'm just sayin', I need a place to stay and I can pay rent. I'll even send ya my social security number for a background check." He's a little desperate, his cousin is a wonderful person but her eight-year-old is a terror and is too loud. Plus, he can't live with her forever.

She raises a brow. "What's your name? And what the fuck is that accent?"

Cobb bristles. "I'm Cobb Vanth, I was born and raised in Texas."

"Cobb?" She snorts. He's used to people making fun of his name so he doesn't even bat an eye.

"Short for Jacobb."

She nods slowly. "Well, I'm Cara. What's your number? I'll call you tomorrow, if you actually want to give me your SSN."

He tells her his phone number and they chat for a while. He likes her, she's sarcastic and has a plethora of funny stories. He hopes her friend is still looking for a roommate, any friend of hers must be interesting.

\-----

"You met this man where?!" Din has to resist the urge to throw his phone across the room.

_"At the bar."_ Cara answers calmly, undeterred by his annoyance. _"I got his social security and had Wedge run it through their system."_

"He just gave you his social security number?!" Din doesn't screech, but he comes pretty close.

_"Yeah, actually. Listen, I found it weird but I talked to him and he's pretty down to earth. He didn't even get drunk."_ Cara explains. _"He's from Texas."_

"Land of homophobia and yeehaws."

Cara snickers _. "He's pretty nice_ _."_

"Nice people can be homophobic, Cara."

_"Just try talking to him. I told him you were free tomorrow. I think you'll like him. Besides, if he is a douche, he's a twig and I'm pretty sure you could snap him like a toothpick."_

"That doesn't make me feel better, but I'll meet up with him." He sighs. He's pretty desperate, rent is due in two weeks and he doesn't have enough to pay it.

Hopefully Cara is right and this man is actually really nice.

\-----

Cobb is sitting in the corner of the coffee shop Cara's friend, Din, he reminds himself, chose. He didn't know much about the man, he didn't text much, just what Cobb needed to know.

The door rings as it's opened and in rushes a man, a toddler in arms and a scattered look on his face.

"Are you Jacobb?" He asks. Cobb nods and watches the man sit. Cara hadn't mentioned the toddler but the little boy doesn't look noisy like his cousin's kids.

"Yeah. Call me Cobb. You must be Din."

"Yeah. This is Grogu." Din sets the toddler down. Cobb waves, the boy blinks at him then gives him a tiny wave.

"Grogu?" Cobb questions once Din has ordered himself a black coffee and a cupcake for his kid.

"Uh, yeah. His name is actually Gregorio. My friend's daughter couldn't pronounce it when she was little so she called him Grogu and it stuck."

Cobb laughs. "I get it. The kids in Gruene called me Cobb 'cause my dad grew corn. Weird nickname gang." He gives Grogu a high five.

"What are you doing in New York?"

Cobb shifts. "Dad's kinda a jerk. I have a cousin that lives here."

Din nods understandingly. "I've lived here my whole life."

Cobb smiles. "That must have been nice. Having things to do. The only thing to do in Gruene is see a movie or go hiking."

"Hiking is fun." Din acknowledges. Cobb nods.

"Yeah, but not when it's the only thing to do."

Din shrugs. "Have you ever roommated with anyone?"

Cobb shakes his head. "Sorry. I'm really here to get away from my dad. Then I heard Cara talking about you needing a roommate."

Din understands the need to run away from toxic people. Hell, he did it the moment he turned eighteen.

"Cara had a friend do a background check. She said you're a good guy. If you're still fine with the rent price, I don't see a problem with roommating with you."

Cobb's smile is crooked, Din finds it kinda charming. "It's all good with me. When do you want me to move in? I can wait a few weeks if you want to get to know me a little better."

Din wishes he had the resources to do that, it's always nice being 100% sure your room isn't going to murder you. "Whenever works best. I'll have to make another copy of the key."

"How about next weekend? I have work everyday this week but next week I'm free."

"Sure."

Din Djarin is a man of few words, but Cobb likes him. He's calm, quiet, handsome, and seems like he knows what he's doing.

_Wait, handsome?_ On his way to his cousin's apartment he groans. "Don't fall for your roommate, Vanth. This isn't some cliche Hallmark movie." He mutters to himself.

\-----

Cobb moving in goes smoothly. He seems to like the apartment and he gets along with Grogu, telling him stories about Texas while the small boy plays or eats.

Soon after Cobb moves in, Din gets permission to paint Grogu's room. While Din planned to do it himself, Cobb offers to help and the men spend an afternoon painting the small room green. Cobb tells about the struggles of growing up in "yeehawville", as Din teasingly calls it. Din tells Cobb about growing up in the New York foster system.

A month passes quickly and they have somewhat settled into a routine. Cobb makes dinner on the weekdays, and Din cooks on the weekends. They form some kind of camaraderie as they go about their lives.

It turns out that Cobb is excellent at cooking southern cuisine. Every food stereotype from the southeastern united states he knows how to make.

Cobb seems fond of Din's cooking. The Chilean recipes he knows to make always make the other man smile.

Grogu enjoys both, especially the chicken Cobb makes on Monday nights. Din doesn't ever say it, but he enjoys it as well.

One evening Din takes Grogu to the park and meets his friend, Omera, and her daughter, Winta. Omera and Din had met at a single parents conference and had remained friends since then. Winta is only seven and had become fascinated with Grogu.

"How's your roommate?" Omera asks softly, they're sitting side by side on a bench watching their kids.

"He's good." Din answers.

"How is he with Grogu?"

"He's great with him. He tells him stories and helps him cook. He's very kind. He helped me paint the room."

Omera smiles. "You like him?"

"Yes. Well, not _like_ like. But you know, he's a good guy."

Omera giggles. "Are you sure? I've never heard you ramble about anyone." He tone isn't teasing like Cara's would be, she's genuinely curious and non-judgemental.

He blushes. "He's cute." He says at last. He only says it because he trusts Omera not to tell anyone about his stupid crush.

Omera grins. "I knew it. Cara said he wasn't your type but I knew otherwise."

He buries his face in his hands. "Don't tell Cara. I'll never hear the end of it."

"This conversation won't leave this bench." She says solemnly. Din smiles gratefully.

\-----

"We won't be here tomorrow for dinner." Din tells Cobb one morning. Cobb frowns.

"Why?"

"Cara and I are going to a Pride Parade. Omera is watching Grogu." Din explains. He dresses Grogu for daycare, not paying much attention to Cobb. Grogu is usually a compliant child but this morning he woke up extra early and is whining as Din puts his shoes on.

"Can I come?" Cobb's voice is hesistant compared to his normally boisterous tone.

"Huh?" Din stops what he's doing and looks at Cobb. Cobb's demeanor had completely changed, his laid back posture is gone, replaced by a scared one.

Cobb shifts awkwardly. "Nevermind, I'm sorry. I just-"

"No, hang on." Din finishes tying Grogu's shoes. "If you wanna come to Pride with us, you can."

Cobb brightens. "Really?!"

"Yeah. I'm picking up pride flags today after I pick up Gro, which one do you want."

Cobb's grin gets wider. "Gay pride, please. I can pay you back."

Din shakes his head. "No need. Cara's picking us up at noon. I think she's bringing face paint."

Grogu tugs on Din's hand and Din suddenly realizes he needs to go. "Alright we'll be back this evening."

"Bye, have a good day."

"Buh-bye." Grogu waves. Cobb chuckles and waves back.

"Did you hear that, Grogu? He's gay." Din marvels as he buckles his kid into his carseat. "I might stand a chance after all."

"Yay! Papa!" Grogu cheers like he understands.

He doesn't, but the support is nice anyways.

\-----

The next day Din drops Grogu at daycare and returns home. Cobb is wearing a black tank top and his pride flag like a cape. Din smiles at the sight and ties his bi flag to his belt loop. He doesn't like going all out for pride, Cara usually does and he feels the need to balance the two of them. 

Cara shows up looking like the lesbian flag in person. She grins at the two of them.

"Good afternoon, gays." She nods. "Hey Cobb, I'm glad you could join us."

Cobb beams. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

"This man," She punches his shoulder playfully. "This man is much more enthusiastic than this bitch." She glares at Din.

Din rolls his eyes. "I'm going with you, aren't I?"

"You didn't want to. I had to beg." She smiles. "I think Cobb is my new best friend."

Din sighs and shakes his head. "Have fun being social and getting plastered. I'll drive home."

"Great." Cara pulls out the container of face paint. "Come on, Cobb. Can I paint your face on the way there?"

"Sure."

Cara throws her keys to Din and drags Cobb to her car. Din dutifully takes the keys and begins driving. He puts Cobb in charge of directions.

"Turn up here at this light." Cobb instructs after a moment, a grin crosses Din's lips. Cobb's accent is so much stronger while giving instructions, it's cute.

"Okay, Mr. Yeehawville."

Cobb huffs as Din and Cara laugh. "My accent isn't that strong."

"It just was." Cara admits as Din turns.

"Not too bad though." Din amends as he sees the embarrassed look on Cobb's face. "I can still understand it."

By the end of the day, as Din helps Cara and Cobb inside, he realizes how exhausted he is. They're both drunk and chatting about the day.

"I can't believe you just kissed that girl." Cobb is telling her. Cara snorted.

"Of course I did." She sprawls out on the couch. "You got aspirin for tomorrow, Djarin?"

"Yes, Cara." Din answers, "There will be coffee too."

"Thank you. Night, Cobb. Night, Din."

"Good night, Cara."

"Thanks for letting me come along." Cobb says. Din nods.

"Of course. Did you have fun?"

Cobb leans against the hallway wall. "Yeah. It was nice."

"I'm glad. Goodnight, Cobb."

"Night."

\-----

After Cara had left the next day, Din and Cobb decide to tackle some housework they had been putting off.

Cobb's phone rings at about eleven and Din notices how his face goes pale.

"I gotta take this, hang on. Sorry." He puts the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

Din notices that his accent is ten times stronger. He goes to his room, leaving the door open. Din honestly doesn't try to eavesdrop, it's just the person on the end is practically screaming at Cobb.

_"-can't believe you went to a faggot parade._ _Get your ass back home, son. I should have never let you leave."_

"Dad, I-" Cobb attempts. His voice is shaking as he clears his throat. "I'm gay, dad. I'm not sorry about it, it's who I am and I'm proud of it."

_"Then you're no longer my son. Don't bother coming back. I'll kill you."_

Din's heart breaks for Cobb, who he can hear sniffling.

"Bye." Cobb chokes out. Din waits a brief moment before deciding to go into the room. Cobb is shaking as he stares at his phone in shock.

Din takes the phone and sets it on the bed as tears begin to well in Cobb's eyes. "He, he said..."

"Shhh. I heard."

Din wraps his arms around Cobb against his better judgement. Cobb was hurting, Din's feeling be damned.

"I don't, I can't..." Cobb breaks into sobs. "He saw it on the news."

Cobb's knees buckle and Din tightens his grasp on Cobb. "Shhh. I'm sorry. He's blind." Din says softly, like he is calming Grogu.

"I have to go back home. I have to-"

"No. You're not. You heard what he said. He'll hurt you."

"He doesn't mean it! He-"

"Cobb, stop it. You're not going back. You're stuck with us." Din recognizes a panic attack when he sees it. He gently helps Cobb sit on the edge of the bed and grabs his hands gently.

"Hey, listen, breathe with me, Cobb." Din takes an exaggerated breath and is pleased with himself when Cobb sucks in a breath of air. "Good. Now release it slowly."

Cobb's breathing slowly returns to an acceptable speed and Din gives him a smile.

Cobb wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thanks. I'm really sorry."

Din sighs. "Don't apologize for that. No one deserves to go through that."

Cobb hiccups. "I-It's okay."

"It's not."

"Well, no." Cobb sniffles. "But it'll be okay."

"It will." Din has never been in Cobb's room but looking around it, it's homey, he likes it. Cobb has pictures everywhere and various souvenirs on a shelf.

"I'll start lunch." Din murmurs, they've been holding hands for far longer than normal. Din finds that he doesn't mind though, it's nice. Cobb's hands are calloused but soft.

"Can I help?" Cobb asks softly. Din nods.

"Of course."

They make lunch in silence, Din keeps an eye on Cobb to make sure the man is doing alright. Din decides to make sandwiches, they require repetition and other soothing qualities but aren't difficult. Cobb has stopped shaking now that he has a task at hand.

"You were very brave." Din says calmly. Cobb sighs shakily.

"Didn't feel it."

"You were." Din soothes. "Trust me on this one. I would never have told him."

Cobb releases a breath Din hadn't noticed he was holding in.

"I know I just lost everything I had."

"You have us. You haven't lost everything."

\-----

Din looks in the mirror nervously. He's going to do it. He's going to ask Cobb Vanth out today.

He can hear Cobb talking to Grogu as Grogu eats breakfast.

"Where is the yellow duck?" A pause, presumably while Grogu looks around. "Yay! Good job, bud!"

Din smiles. _Deep breath, Din. You got this. Just go up to him and say "Hey, I don't want to make things awkward between us, but I was wondering if you want to grab dinner tonight?"_

He opens the door, Grogu is almost done eating, Cobb is sitting beside him.

"Hey, I have a quick question for you." Din says, Cobb's smile falls and he nods.

Din inwardly berates himself. Why did he word it like that?

"I- Would you like to come on a date with me?" Din blurts, his rehearsed speech from yesterday is gone.

Cobb's eyes get big. "Really?"

"Yeah?"

Cobb beams and nods enthusiastically. "Of course. What time? What should I wear?"

Din laughs in relief. "How about 7? We can go walking in the park. I went there a few days ago with Omera and she said you can see the stars clearly."

Cobb looks even more excited. "I would love that." They look at each other and Din wants to kiss the man right there but Grogu decides to make his presence known at that moment.

"Papa, help!" He demands, attempting to button up his coat. Din looks down at his son and helps the two-year-old button his jacket. His heart is pounding as he feels Cobb's gaze on him.

"I'll see you tonight. I'm going to ask Omera to babysit."

Cobb nods. As he leaves Din can't help the sigh of relief he lets out.

Cobb actually likes him. Din grins as he drives to Grogu's works.

\-----

"These are almost as bright as they are in Texas." Cobb notes as they settle in the grass, staring at the sky. Din stares at the sky.

"Is that good?" He asks, Cobb nods.

"I like it. Do you know much about stars?"

Din shrugs. "That's the big dipper." He motions to a bunch of stars.

"Yes. And that's the little dipper. If you look up a little, that's Pegasus." Cobb points around the sky. Din nods seriously. Now that he's relaxed, Cobb's accent is stronger.

Din likes his accent. He finds it charming.

Cobb talks about various constellations and Din hangs on to every word. It's fascinating, he never knew Cobb knew so much about stars.

"You're not even looking at the stars." Cobb notices at last. Din grins sheepishly. 

In a moment of courage, Din leans over and kisses Cobb. Cobb makes a startled noise and kisses back after a half-second. When they pull away for a breath, Din rests his forehead against Cobb's.

"I could get used to that." Cobb says, giving Din one of his signature crooked grins.

"I'm glad."

Cobb lays back on the ground to point out stars and Din lays beside him, Cobb's hand intertwines with his and Din smiles.

Yes, he could get used to this too.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed. I had fun writing this :)
> 
> Also the scene when they're driving to Pride and Cobb's accent gets stronger while giving instructions?? That's an actual thing that happens with my significant other. When they get relaxed or talk to their parents the accent gets so strong and I think it's cute.


End file.
